Alex Pereira is bulking up for his heavyweight debut. Many feel ‘Poatan’ is looking noticeably softer than usual, something he addressed in a recent video on his YouTube channel. The former light heavyweight champion admitted the change but made it clear that he’ll be in peak condition by fight night. However, not all fans are buying it.
Pereira is set to take on Ciryl Gane in the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250 this June, with the vacant interim heavyweight title on the line. A win here would make ‘Poatan‘ the only fighter to win UFC titles in three weight classes.
The Brazilian is well on his way to building a heavyweight frame. In a recent post on Instagram, the hard-hitting kickboxer was seen tipping the scales at 251 pounds. While ‘Poatan’ has the weight dialed in, he recognizes that he is far from fight shape.
In a recent YouTube segment, Pereira said:
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“I’m heavy and have a bit of a belly right now, but soon you’ll see the transformation… I’m gonna look like a machine. Now my body is getting stronger. We still have another 6 or 7 weeks, we’re already starting like this.”
Check out Alex Pereira‘s comments below:
Fans, however, have mixed feelings about ‘Poatan’s’ promise.
@kokosuper24 wrote:
“Bro is dirty bulking, his cardio will be [s**t]. I got Gane winning if it goes past round 2.”
@schuldinermma chimed in:
“He is in the mountains of SOBRALIA-MINAS GERAIS… I can guarantee you that he will not be tested in that period of time. HE WILL BE JUICED TO THE GILLS, AND WE WILL LOVE IT.”
@ZimLingo opined:
“You better shed some of that weight because it will slow you down. CHAMA”
@blankcardboard commented:
“Calorie overload to maximize gains, then [a] caloric deficit to lose the fat. Smart man.”
Check out a few more responses to Alex Pereira’s comments below:
Ex-interim title challenger previews Ciryl Gane vs. Alex Pereira
Former interim heavyweight title challenger Curtis Blaydes believes that even though Alex Pereira hasn’t fought at heavyweight before, his punching power transcends weight classes.
Blaydes believes that Ciryl Gane likes to maintain his distance and fight on his back foot. ‘Razor’ sees ‘Poatan’ catching Gane with something big after trapping him on the fence. During the pre-fight press conference for UFC 327, he said:
“I’m going to go, Alex. I know Gane is a heavyweight, and we haven’t seen Alex as a heavyweight yet, but I feel like he hits like one. I feel like he brings the pressure like a heavyweight. Like, he definitely doesn’t go backwards. That’s what Gane likes to do. So, I think eventually Alex will be able to square him up along the cage and hit him with a heavy hook or a straight right.”
Edited by Ujwal Jain
